DEER2015 Code Update
DEER2015
Database for Energy-Efficient Resources
DEER Update for 2015 Codes
DEER2015 is an incremental update of DEER2014 for measures impacted by the codes and standards (C&S) updates contained in the United States Code of Federal Regulations (430.32). The C&S changes for DEER2015 only impact methods and assumptions used to calculate Unit Energy Savings (UES) values of kWh, kW and therm. Net-To-Gross (NTG), Effective/Remaining Useful Life (EUL/RUL), and other non-UES values are not being updated as a result of C&S changes.
The code updates that become effective in late 2014 and 2015 and that impact DEER measures fall into the four categories listed below.
| Technology Group | Effective Date | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator/Freezer & Freezer | 9/14/2014 | CFR 430.32(a) |
| Split and Packaged air conditioning equipment | 1/1/2015 | CFR 430.32(a)(2,4) |
| Water Heaters: Small Gas and Electric Storage , Small Gas and Electric Instantaneous | 4/16/2015 | CFR 430.32(d) |
| Gas Furnaces (Weatherized) | 1/1/2015 | CFR 430.32(e)(1)(ii) |
The new measures and their energy impacts have been added to the latest ex ante database. The database is currently described as "Ex Ante 13-14 Cycle" and is named exante1314 on DEEResources.net. View the READI Update Notes for a list of the latest updates.
The "Version" field for the updated measures is set to DEER2015 and their status is currently set to Standard. To view a smaller list of measures that includes all of the 2015 updates, one can filter the Measure table using "Version" = DEER2015. Note: if the "Version" column is not visible in the Measure List table, right click on the body of the table and use the "Select Table Columns" to make the column visible.
Refrigerators and Freezers
The rated maximum energy use for refrigerator/freezers and freezers is updated by the Federal energy code (CR 430.32) for appliances manufactured after September 14th, 2014. The updated code includes additional categories of refrigerator/freezer appliances that account for the presence of ice-makers and through-the-door ice service. The DEER2014 refrigerator and freezer efficiency measures are updated with 92 measure definitions that cover a wider range of appliance configurations, sizes and efficiency levels.
In addition to the appliance efficiency measures, the impact of the new refrigerator standards on the Appliance Recycling Program measures are being investigated and may lead to updated ARP measures.
Categories of Refrigerators and Freezers include in the DEER2015 update:
- Refrigerator with Top-mount Freezer without automatic icemaker
- Refrigerator with Top-mount Freezer with automatic icemaker
- Refrigerator with Side-mount Freezer without automatic icemaker
- Refrigerator with Side-mount Freezer with automatic icemaker
- Refrigerator with Side-mount Freezer with automatic icemaker and through-door ice service
- Refrigerator with Bottom-mount Freezer without automatic icemaker
- Refrigerator with Bottom-mount Freezer with automatic icemaker
- Upright Freezer with manual defrost
- Upright Freezer with automatic defrost
- Chest Freezer with manual defrost
- Chest Freezer with automatic defrost
Each category has three size ranges and a weighted size (based on CLASS data). In addition, there is a weighted category defined for the Refrigerator and for the Freezer appliance types. Two tier levels are defined for each measure:
- Tier1: Rated annual energy use is 10% less than the maximum code allowance.This matches the Energy Star efficiency level.
- Tier2: Rated annual energy use is 30% less than the maximum code allowance.
The DEER2015 refrigerator and freezer measures utilize the same scaled energy impact values that are the basis for the DEER2014 measures. The above-code scale values are calculated based on the new code specification and the two tier level definitions. The measure definitions support replace-on-burnout and new construction measure application types. For a detailed description of the changes and a comparison to the DEER2014 measures, see the DEER2015 Refrigerator and Freezer Update workbook and the supporting workbook of refrigerator CLASS weights.
Split and Packaged air conditioning equipment
SEER-Rated HVAC Measures update
As of January 1, 2015 the code efficiency requirements for SEER-rated central air conditioners and heat pumps increases from SEER 13 to SEER 14. All DEER HVAC measures based on SEER-rated equipment increase the code-level technology to SEER 14. Additional efficiency tier levels are added for some measures to accommodate the higher minimum efficiency level.
EER-Rated Equipment and Measure Update
The DEER2015 update also includes an update to the larger, EER-rated packaged DX system efficiency measures. The 2014 DEER update included changes to the packaged single zone models in response to code requirements for two speed fan capabilities. For DEER2015, the larger packaged HVAC measures have been updated based on the performance characteristics of available units that meet the current code requirements and tier levels. Updates to the EER-rated equipment performance curves were also required in order to determine the IEER rating for measure technologies.
DX equipment Vintage specification update
All packaged HVAC equipment have an effective useful life (EUL) of 15 years and a remaining useful life (RUL) of 5 years. While new construction and replace-on-burnout measure application types depend only on the measure and code equipment specifications, early retirement measure applications depend on the pre-existing equipment specifications as well. In order to comply with the early-retirement measure application requirement of replacing viable equipment, all pre-existing equipment specifications are limited to be less than 15 years old. This requirement caused the equipment in the oldest building vintages to be set to the 2001-era equipment specifications.
Economizer impacts separated from fan and compressor improvements
For commercial SEER-rated measures greater than 55 kBTU/h and commercial EER-rated measures less than 110 kBTU/h, the pre-existing technologies in building vintages before 2014 do not require an economizer, while the code and measure technologies do require an economizer. A large fraction of the above pre-existing energy savings for these measures is due to the addition of an economizer in the measure technology. To address this issue, an additional set of measures are defined that include an economizer in the pre-existing equipment, such that the energy impacts are due to compressor and fan improvements only.
For a detailed description of the changes and a comparison to the DEER2014 measures, see the DEER2015 HVAC Update workbook.
Water Heaters
The minimum rated Energy Factor (EF) for small storage and small instantaneous water heaters is updated by the Federal energy code (CR 430.32) for units manufactured after April 15th, 2015. The updated code includes significant increases in the rated EF for gas and electric storage water heaters over 55 gallons. Electric storage water heaters over 55 gallons require a heat pump water heater to meet the minimum efficiency.
The DEER2014 small storage and instantaneous water heater measures are updated with 60 new measure definitions that include condensing gas water heaters and heat pump electric water heaters. The following table summarizes the efficiency tiers by size and fuel type for the new measure definitions:
| Water Heater Type | Efficiency Tiers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Gallons | Min. Code | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
| Electric | 30 | 0.951 EF | 2.00 EF | 2.20 EF | 2.40 EF |
| Electric | 40 | 0.948 EF | 2.00 EF | 2.20 EF | 2.40 EF |
| Electric | 50 | 0.945 EF | 2.00 EF | 2.20 EF | 2.40 EF |
| Electric | 60 | 1.98 EF | 2.20 EF | 2.40 EF | |
| Electric | 75 | 1.96 EF | 2.20 EF | 2.40 EF | |
| Gas | tankless | 0.82 EF* | 0.92 EF* | ||
| Gas | 30 | 0.630 EF | 0.65 EF | 0.70 EF | 0.72 EF |
| Gas | 40 | 0.615 EF | 0.65 EF | 0.70 EF | 0.82 EF |
| Gas | 50 | 0.600 EF | 0.67 EF | 0.70 EF | 0.82 EF |
| Gas | 60 | 0.754 EF | 0.78 EF | 0.80 EF | 0.82 EF |
| Gas | 75 | 0.743 EF | 0.78 EF | 0.80 EF | 0.82 EF |
Note: * indicates the pre-existing and code level technologies are a gas storage water heater (not tankless).
For a detailed description of the changes and a comparison to the DEER2014 measures, see the DEER2015 Water Heater Update workbook.
A new calculation tool has been developed to support the modeling of the new measure technologies. Examine the DEER2015 water heater calculation tool and its supporting documentation for detailed information on the tool.
Gas Furnaces
The minimum rated AFUE for commercial furnaces (weatherized furnaces) is updated by the Federal energy code (CR 430.32) for units manufactured after January 1, 2014. The DEER2014 commercial furnace measures with a code-level AFUE of 80 are updated for DEER2015 with a code-level AFUE 0f 81. The DEER2015 measures utilize the same scaled energy impact values that are the basis for the DEER2014 measure energy impacts. The following measure IDs have been updated with an AFUE 81 code technology:
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE90
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE91
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE92
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE93
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE94
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE95
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE96
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE97
- Furnace-Pkg-AFUE98
For the full measure definition of all updated measures, see the DEER2015 Gas Furnace Update workbook.
Additional Resources
The response to comments on the Draft DEER2015 update is available:Response to Comments on draft release.
The software used to create the new HVAC air-conditioning and heat pump impacts is available:MASControl for DEER2015.
The PowerPoint slides presented during the presentation on 10/24/2014 are available: DEER2015 Presentation, Uncertain Measures